Disneyfiying Confucious’ Filial Piety as seen in Disney’s Mulan (1998)

Filial Piety in the Ballad of Mulan compared to Disney’s version The legend of Mulan, the Chinese woman warrior, was first presented in an annonomous poem called “the Ballad of Mulan” which dated back the 6th sentury Tang Dynansty. The poem was written in five segments; each one represents Mulan’s origin, experience in the battlefield, and also sense of obedience to her family. The legend lives on as it is passed from one generation to other generation through diverse versions such as storytelling, poem, and movies. Ultimately, the ballad takes on a new form when it was adapted into a 1998 Disney animated feature. This is the first time Disney has drawn on an Asian story and made filial piety suit the Western audience. Over the past few centuries, Chinese people have been entirely influenced by the ideal of Confucianism especially Filial Piety. According to the Analects of Confucianism, the term Filial Piety is defined as a range of values that solely emphasizes filial (Children natural respect) towards their parents and particular duty towards their elders. (1:2, Analect of Confucianism). Basically, Filial Piety is so deeply rooted in Chinese traditional culture. It has also become the fixed fundamental value for every Chinese community that cannot be reconstructed by any means. In the original version, filial piety is repeatedly shown in Mulan’s conduct. First of all, Mulan never defies any of her parents’ commands. The ballad, as has been retold by Disney, justifies, that Mulan does not have the courage to turn down the matchmaking decision that her parents has arranged for her. As an obedient and dutiful daughter, she readily agreed without even once asking the purpose of her parents’ decision. The last segment of the ballad even states that Mulan is eventually married the highly-selected man whom her parents have chosen for her and stays obedience until the rest of her life. In this sense, filial piety never leaves Mulan’s life, even if she tries so hard to leave the tradition and lives her life as she pleases (going to war, traveling to other place), but ultimately, she goes back to her tradition and finds herself still bounded by it. However, throughout the movie, a constant contrast is made between The Ballad of HuaMulan and Disney´s Mulan. Unfortunately, Disney has restated and combined the two contracting values (The ideas of Filial Piety and American values). By re-orienting the ideal of filial piety with American ideals, Disney would like to make filial piety as a universal value, thus strengthens the image of the USA as the only superpower country among all. Indeed, the USA wants American values to be widely spread Filial piety in this case reflected by Confucian ideology which has spread great influence on Chinese culture. The Chinese have a special term for filial piety, xiao ao, which, according to Confucius, upholds the following points: (I) Supporting and caring for one's parents; reverences and obedience (3) Continuing the ancestral line

(4) Glorifying the family name
(5) Mourning and ancestral remembranceAccording to the motivation of Mulan's joining the army, she joins the army in order to help her father get over the difficulty; rather than saving her country voluntarily. In other word, Mulan actually joins the army for the sake of her father and her family, practicing her filialness and love as the lines says; “Father has no grown-up son, Mulan has no elder brother. I want to buy a saddle and a horse, and serve in the army in Father's place"” (the Ballad of Mulan, 1976). Furthermore, when the Emperor thanks Mulan by granting her wealth, title and land, Mulan only requests for a camel, on which she might journey back home safely as the sentences state, "I wish to ride a swift mount to take me back to my home" (the Ballad of Mulan, 1976) which points out Mulan misses her parents and wants to continue her role as a...

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Thomas Foster’s Themes Traced in Mulan
In his book How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Thomas Foster explains many reoccurring themes in literature, and shows how to recognize them and in some instances shows certain works where they occur. By reading this guide to literature, one may gain a deeper understanding of the work itself and of the author’s intent in writing it. However, Foster’s methods can also be applied to films. A film that contains many of the various themes, models, symbolism, and devices discussed in his book is Walt Disney’s Mulan.
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...Confucianism
The idea that man was born to be wicked and required the forceful hand of control by a leader was widely accepted throughout parts of Ancient China. A philosopher by the name of Kung Fu-tzu or Confucius had a different viewpoint; that man was born to be generally good-natured but could be perfected by instilling in them a teaching of mutual obligation and respect. He embarked on attempting to initiate his idea to no avail, so he thought. His disciples carried along his legacy and passed them down through generations, steadily diffusing his ideology throughout China. Later named Confucianism, these ideas eventually became infused into Chinese culture.
To construct a grand structure, one must first have a strong, solid foundation. Confucius' ideas were based off the same concept. Filial piety served as the foundation of Confucianism by indoctrinating a sense of reverence toward one's superiors. For example, in the document, Confucius preached that “in serving your parents, be gentle in remonstration. Seeing that they are not inclined to comply, remain reverent, and do not disobey them.” In this scenario, the parents being the superiors, one must treat them with the utmost respect. As a result, all aspects of Confucian society involved a person striving to reach the ultimate goal which was to be a gentleman, or the essentially the perfect person.
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Beliefs and Description of Confucius of China
Confucianism is known as the practice of virtue that emphasizes moral order, correctness of social relationships, justice, and humanity. The founder of Confucianism was Kong Fuzi or “Master Kong”. He is better known by the Western version of his name Confucius. He was an ancient Chinese scholar and philosopher born around 551 BCE. Confucius’s philosophies were not original but more of a re-education of ancient customs, philosophies, and rituals that he felt would reform the disorderly and chaotic world in which he lived. The cornerstones of Confucius’s virtues were Jen and Li.
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...﻿Confucianism
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Confucianism
History[show]
Fundamental concepts[show]
Confucianism by country[show]
Confucian texts[show]
Organisation[show]
Portal Confucianism
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Temple of Confucius of Jiangyin,Wuxi, Jiangsu. This is a wénmiào(文庙), that is to say a temple whereConfucius is worshiped as Wéndì(文帝), "Culture Emperor", "God Making Culture Thrive".
Gates of the wenmiao of Datong,Shanxi.
Confucianism, also known as Ruism,[1][2] is an ethical and philosophical system, on occasion described as a religion,[note 1]developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551–479 BCE). Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in theHan Dynasty.[5] Following the official abandonment of Legalism in China after the Qin Dynasty, Confucianism became the official state ideology of the Han. Nonetheless, from the Han period onwards, most Chinese emperors have used a mix of Legalism and Confucianism as their ruling doctrine. The disintegration of the Han in the second century CE opened the way for the soteriologicaldoctrines of Buddhism and Taoism to dominate...

...CONFUCIANISM
ORIGIN:
* Founder: Confucius
* A Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history.
* The philosophy of Confucius emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice and sincerity.
* Confucius is traditionally credited with having authored or edited many of the Chinese classic texts including all of the Five Classics, but modern scholars are cautious of attributing specific assertions to Confucius himself.
* Aphorisms concerning his teachings were compiled in the Analects, but only many years after his death.
* Where: China
* When: c. 500 B.C.E.
* How: In a way that he travelled around China teaching people. He taught music, literature, Civics, Ethics and Science
TEACHINGS:
* SACRED TEXT: The Five Classics (Wujing), The Four Books (Sishu)
* The Four Books
* Great Learning (Ta Hsueh) - Originally one chapter in the Classic of Rites. It consists of a short main text attributed to Confucius and nine commentary chapters by Zeng Zi, one of Confucius's disciples. Its importance is illustrated by Zeng Zi's foreword that this is the gateway of learning.It is significant because it expresses many themes of Chinese philosophy and political thinking, and has therefore been extremely influential both in classical and modern Chinese thought. Government, self cultivation and investigation of things are linked....

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There are several virtues that advocate in Confucianism, manly known as filial piety, loyalty, forbearance, humaneness and the golden rule. Confucius believes that each of them is interdependent and human should maintain the balance of them in order to ensure a smooth collaboration in human society. On the other hand, Confucius emphasizes ancient arts like rites, music and writing. He thinks that these are the major components that cultivate ones disposition. For instance, writing can develop the ‘prefer righteousness detest wickedness’, music can form ‘ideal moral integrity’ and rites can apply ‘to advance or retreat, each has its rules’ for human beings.
Moreover, Confucius contends ‘No Child Left Behind’. He educates students about solutions about all type of daily-life problems, as well as the essential conditions that facilitate inter-personal relationship. His principles are reasonable and understandable. The most well-known tenet is ‘Cultivate ones, Keep one’s family in order, Run the country well and Bring peace to the world’. It can be seen that Confucius believes deeply in ‘Human are born to be righteousness’, every single unit can become a sage through cultivation.
In fact, Confucianism is highly related to the modern world. Take ‘Human Nature’ as an example, ‘Human Nature’ explains that human have innate ‘sense of sympathy’. Actually, many human behaviors verify this Confucianism. For instance, people donate...

...Confucius-Summary
Master Kung, also known as Kung Fu-tzu is known to be the Confucius of the west. He is one of the most well known philosophers in Chinese history. Confucianism has evolved so much over the years that no one knows the original thoughts of the master. Master Kung established a tradition of cultural values. Confucius wanted to attain a position in government so he could influence the ruler, thus helping him make wiser decisions. He was appointed to a governmental position in Lu but it was brief. So he traveled the neighboring states hoping to attain another position, and he did but he often spoke his mind when he shouldn't have and was forced to leave again. When he returned home he realized that through his teaching he would be able to affect the people more. Confucius taught that all human affairs were structured by five relationships: father and son, husband and wife, elder and younger brother, ruler and official, and friend and friend. He had a major emphasis on the family because three of these relationships focus on the family. Confucius was more of a summarizer and rephraser of truths than an original thinker. He focused on the relation of human being to human being and the relation of governor to governed.
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